The Tiger phones The President after Monaco’s famous Champions League victory in North London, but the conversation quickly turns to Manchester United’s unforgettable FA Cup semi-final replay against Arsenal.
As both men reflect on one of football’s greatest cup ties, The Tiger wonders whether young players might once again hold the key to success—both on the pitch and in fantasy football.
A Call After a Famous Victory
Still recovering from injury, The Tiger telephones The President following Monaco’s impressive Champions League win away to Arsenal.
Both men are in good spirits, but football conversations rarely stay on one subject for long.
Before long, memories drift back to another famous match involving an English giant.
The 1999 FA Cup semi-final.
The Match Everyone Remembers
Manchester United’s replay against Arsenal at Villa Park remains one of the greatest FA Cup ties ever played.
David Beckham opened the scoring before Dennis Bergkamp equalised for Arsenal.
Roy Keane was sent off, Peter Schmeichel saved Bergkamp’s late penalty and, deep into extra time, Ryan Giggs produced one of the competition’s most iconic goals after running from inside his own half.
United eventually completed an historic Treble that season.
‘You Can’t Win Anything With Kids’
The comic revisits Alan Hansen’s famous television comment that “you can’t win anything with kids.”
Manchester United’s young squad famously proved him wrong, with graduates from the club’s academy becoming one of the most successful generations in football history.
The Cabbie reminds everyone that football has a habit of making bold predictions look rather foolish.
The Tiger Sees an Opportunity
The discussion then turns back to The Tiger’s own situation.
With Manchester United suffering injuries in attack, he jokes that perhaps he should be playing for the Under-21s if that is where all the winning is happening.
It is classic Storybook humour, mixing current football events with famous moments from the past.
The Tiger simply wants another opportunity.
Fantasy Football Never Sleeps
Watching young players impress also gives The Tiger another idea.
If these youngsters are good enough to outplay established stars, perhaps they deserve a place in his fantasy football team.
Finding emerging talent before everyone else has always been one of the secrets to fantasy football success.
Even injured players keep one eye on their fantasy squad.
The Football Inspiration Behind the Comic
This Storybook episode combines two real football stories from 2015.
Monaco’s Champions League victory over Arsenal revived memories of Arsène Wenger’s former club, while Manchester United’s injury problems led to discussions about opportunities for younger players.
The strip cleverly links those events with one of the greatest matches in English football history—the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay—and Alan Hansen’s famous observation about winning with young players.
Characters Featured
The Tiger
Recovering from injury, The Tiger hopes circumstances might finally provide another opportunity to establish himself in Manchester.
The President
Fresh from celebrating Monaco’s European success, The President enjoys looking back at another unforgettable football occasion.
Manchester United’s Young Players
The emergence of talented youngsters becomes the central talking point, reminding everyone that youth has often transformed football history.
Behind the Gag
The Tiger begins by discussing Monaco’s victory.
Within moments, the conversation has become a debate about Manchester United’s Class of ’92, Alan Hansen, fantasy football and whether young players are worth signing.
Football supporters have always been experts at changing the subject.
Usually within a single conversation.
Looking Back
Originally published in 2015, FA Cup of 99 pays tribute to one of English football’s greatest cup matches while cleverly linking it to contemporary events surrounding Monaco, Manchester United and fantasy football.
The strip also reinforces one of Storybook’s recurring themes: football history has a habit of repeating itself, especially when people insist it never will.
The next episode sees attention turn towards growing unrest in Madrid with The White Handkerchiefs.
